1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to conveyor device for supporting and rolling an object form one location to another.
2. Description of the Related Art
Commonly, large, heavy objects must be transferred from one location to a second location, in a factory for instance. In order to accomplish the transfer, conveyor systems are installed. Conventional conveyor systems include a carrier which is the main body portion of the conveyor. The carriers of the conveyors generally manufactured by casting in an elongated form having a circular or square shape. The carrier is provided with a base which is generally a flat platform that is fastened to the carrier by bolts, screws, welding or the like. The base allows the carrier to be freestanding. The conveyor system is further provided with rollers or wheels that are rotatably attached to the carrier and extend above the carrier to contact the heavy objects. The object can then be rolled along the conveyor, transferring the object from the first location to the second location.
To accommodate such rollers, apertures formed in the carrier for the rollers and are often cast as a single aperture. The single aperture is then provided with blocks or spacers that are secured in place between the rollers after the rollers have been fastened to the carrier. The spacers protect the inside of the carrier from environmental concerns, such as collecting dirt which would impede the rotation of the rollers. The spacers also add additional parts to the assembly of the conveyor.
Problems with such conventional conveyor devices having multiple parts to assemble involve the added complexity of manufacturing the device. The manufacturing of the conventional conveyor systems is a complicated process requiring substantial amounts of time and labor. Having multiple parts also creates weakpoints in the assembly. For instance, the base portion must be attached to the carrier by fasteners, welding or the like. The point of attachment between the base and the carrier is a weakpoint in the conveyor such that if the load exceeds the maximum strength of the weld, the conveyor may fail.
What is needed is a conveyor that reduces complexity and the number of weakpoints in a multiple piece assembly.